Mauritania has a population of 4.4 million people, of which 1.9 million are internet users, making the penetration rate 41 percent, a growth of 17 percent compared to 2017.  Mobile telephone services, in contrast, have a penetration rate of over 110 percent as some, mostly urban, Mauritanians have multiple cellular phones.  In 2017, 41 percent of the population had access to 3G coverage, while 4G was nonexistent.  In 2021, mobile operators started rolling out 4G network in urban areas. There are government plans to upgrade to 5G, but there are no details or timeline for this effort. According to the Ministry of Digital Transformation, Innovation, and Modernization of Administration, the 4,000-kilometer fiber optic line that was completed in 2021 will reduce the cost of internet services by 50 percent for fixed lines and 25 percent for mobile and encourage new market entry.  It will also increase internet penetration to 70 percent.  The capacities available to users have also increased from 54 gigabits per second (Gbps) in 2019 to more than 80 Gbps.